Woman charged with murder of four-year-old girl in south Wales

Amelia Brooke Harris, four, was described by her family as a ‘fun-loving, caring and bubbly little girl’.Photograph: PA

A 37-year-old woman has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of a four-year-old girl at a house in the Rhondda Valley, south Wales.

Carly Ann Harris appeared before Merthyr magistrates accused of killing Amelia Brooke Harris, who died after an incident at a property in Trealaw on Friday night.

During the brief hearing, Harris, who was flanked by two dock officers, spoke only to confirm her name and date of birth. The relationship between her and the child was not disclosed in court.

The magistrates heard the charge was so serious that Harris’s case could be dealt with only at the crown court and that magistrates had no power to consider bail.

Harris, of Trealaw, is scheduled to appear before a judge at Cardiff crown court on Tuesday.

Russell Blake, the chair of the bench, told her: “This case can only be sent to Merthyr crown court sitting at Cardiff on 12 June. As this is an indictable-only offence, you will be remanded into custody as you have no right to apply for bail today.”

On Sunday, Amelia’s family paid tribute to a “fun-loving, caring and bubbly little girl”.

In a statement released by south Wales police, they said: “On Friday night, we tragically lost our baby girl, Amelia Brooke Harris, a loving daughter, sister, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, niece and cousin.

“Amelia was beautiful both inside and out – and was a fun-loving, caring and bubbly little girl. She was taken far too early from us and had her whole life ahead of her.

“Words cannot convey how we are feeling at this moment in time. We know our lives will never be the same again.”